IMSA: Two Titles For RSR

Road Atlanta was the setting to round-out the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, where Patrick Pilet and Dirk Werner secured the GTLM-class North American Endurance Cup. Petit Le Mans on the 2.54 mile Road Atlanta circuit is, alongside the three other long-distance IMSA series classics; Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen, counted as part of the hotly-contested North American Endurance Cup. Patrick Pilet and Dirk Werner joined forces with a third driver for the final race of the season, overall 2015 Le Mans-winner Nick Tandy. The trio brought their No911 car home in sixth place in the GTLM class having battled through ten-hours of racing, completing 392 laps. Having spent long stretches on course for a podium spot during the final race, Laurens Vanthoor and Gianmaria Bruni were partnered by Earl Bamber in the sister 911 RSR, the No912 entry – they ultimately crossed the finish line in fifth spot.

The result was enough to clinch the North American Endurance Cup (NAEC) driver’s title for Pilet and Werner, and for the Porsche GT Team to win the NAEC cup for teams, where squads have to demonstrate consistency and reliability over a total of 52 hours of racing. Finishing second in the manufacturers’ classification, Porsche was just one point off taking the NAEC cup for manufacturers too, however it was comprehensively beaten in the overall IMSA GTLM standings. Fourth in the overall Manufacturer standings, the No911 car was the best-placed Porsche in the championship for Teams in fifth. The highest placed Porsche entry in the Driver standings was the duo of Pilet and Werner – a distant fifth.

During its maiden race season in the USA and Canada, the new 911 RSR notched-up numerous successes in what was, overall, a tough season. Its first victory came in July at Lime Rock, with four podium placings at Daytona, Long Beach, Elkhart Lake and Laguna Seca, as well as pole position at Bowmanville. Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, said: “We’ve clinched the first title for the new 911 RSR at this race. By winning the North American Endurance Cup for drivers and teams, we’ve shown that we were always at the front at the right time for the major endurance races and, hence, have underlined the reliability of our car over the season.”

Patrick Pilet commented, “Winning the North American Endurance Cup is a great team effort. I’m thrilled to take this trophy home to Weissach as a thank you to everyone who has worked on the new 911 RSR and has supported us this season so brilliantly. This race was very tough for us. We had to fight hard to defend ourselves against the strong opposition. I’m pleased we managed it.”

Nick Tandy said: “It was wonderful for me to be a part of this team again on this legendary circuit and to support Patrick and Dirk in their bid to win the North American Endurance Cup. The fact that it’s also the first title for the new 911 RSR makes it even more valuable.”